It’s that time already. It seems like only yesterday when we finished NM2-2. Time flies when you’re blasting BLUD. The NOVA 2038 Catalog is finished and goes for $1 per copy. The 2038 Midwest Encounter Guide sells for $1.50 per copy. If you want to order copies of these two items see the order form attached to this newsletter. The Fast Lane, a NOVA supplement described earlier, is nearly complete as you are reading this. The release date is set for late October. NOVA is still looking for submissions for the NM, so don’t be shy and send them in. GenCon/Origins '88 was an interesting convention. Especially with the adventures without a car. See “The World” section below for further details.
This issue has the newest inventions that were unable to be printed in the catalog.
Blazer (Double-Barreled Laser Rifle): To-hit 8, 3 GE, 1D6 per barrel. $6,000. One-shot weapon without laser rifle power pack, and with power pack it has 10 shots. Full damage to vehicles.
Air-to-Air Missile (AAM): To-hit 6 vs. air targets, 11 vs. ground targets, 4 D6 damage, $600, 100 lbs., 1 space, 2 DP, one shot. Burst effect. An AAM may be mounted on rocket platforms and can be made armor piercing. Launching an AAM from a surface vehicle is a -6 penalty. The AAM may be launched from a RGM launcher, EWP, or REWP.
Hypersound Sound System (HSSS): $3,525, 3 spaces, 305 lbs., 5 DP. This system is basically a hypersound system linked to a sound system. The link cost $25 and weighs 5 lbs. New ranges and rules for the HSSS are as follows. Any laser fired within 10" of an active HSSS will implode on a roll of 10 or better on two dice. Within 5", 9 or better. Within 2", 8 or better. Any weapon fire within 6" of an active HSSS is at a -2 to hit, -3 from within 3". If any vehicle other than the one with the HSSS remains within 2" of it for one full turn the vehicle’s windshields will shatter on a roll of 8 or better on two dice. If a pedestrian comes within 4" of an active HSSS he will pass out on a roll of 8 or better, at 2" 7 or better. The maximum range of the HSSS is 20".
Hypersound Communications Helmet: $175, no weight and space. Acts like a normal Hypersound Helmet but the wearer can communicate with a built-in strengthen headset and voice-activated microphone.
Metal Body Armor (MBA): Standard set is 1/3 (one point metal and three points plastic), cost $500, and pedestrian movement is reduced by 1/4". Improved is 2/6 and cost $3,000. People in IMBA move two 1/4" slower than normal pedestrians. IMBA has a built-in gas mask and provides some protection from fire. Remember, metal armor gives twice the protection against hand weapons, making it a real life saver in pedestrian fights. This body armor even protects against vehicular weapons (sometimes) and provides some protection from collisions. MBA can’t be blended but it can be impact at twice the cost. AV ammo works normally but AP ammo damage is cut in half. Burst effect weapons are only half as effective.
Ah, GenCon/Origins '88. What a Con; what a mess. There was more gaming at that place than I’ve ever seen. Three buildings devoted to gaming of every type imaginable. Car Wars at 250% normal scale in several sessions and in the world championship.
The story doesn’t begin there. 25 miles outside of Milwaukee the car we were in broke down. It was not a pleasant experience, and that day was very hot. The other people traveling with me called a tow truck and we took a taxi the rest of the way. We picked up our preregistration packets at the gaming MECCA. There were lines of people, many coming and going, and to top it off the driver of the broken car was informed his packet was lost. It definitely wasn’t his week. For the first two days we employed taxis. On the third we used a rental car. Triple A finally came through with a car.
The gaming was another story. It was unbelievable; three complete halls were filled with gaming, and still some more were held in the upper hallways of the MECCA. The convention had three 3-D arenas adventures, including the final round of the world championship. During my four days there I met people such as Ben Ellinger, Steve Beeman, David Ladyman, Scott Haring, and also plenty of fellow autoduellists.
For those who lack ears Mike Montgomery isn’t the world champion anymore. The title now belongs to an unknown and new rookie of the year, Jeff Boe. Jeff competed in five arenas, two of which were held before GenCon. The Midwest regional champion, Tim Jacques, tied for 12th in the final standings. Congratulations to all who competed in the world championships.
NOVA is proud to welcome to the AADA ranks a new chapter, the Ground Zero Rads of Bellevue. We’ve known about the Rads for several months now. There’s good relations between the Rads and NOVA, along with a few challenges with the Rads winning most. We are glad to have good communications with our closest autoduelling brethren (Avengers & Rads). I wish we had better communications with a lot more chapters and autoduellists. This is the reason for this newsletter.
The Nebraska Civil War lasted only one month, but it’s effects are long lasting. The ARFs and the Anarchy Party are no more in Nebraska. However, the last cruise missile launched by ARF destroyed the MADD HQ. More details of the Civil War will be covered in a future issue.
April 15, 2034: NOVA chapter is approved with the following membership: Norman McMullen (president), Matt Bowerman, David Caplinger, Nick Cyronek, and Tim Moffitt.
July 16, 2038: The duelist named Psycho jumped 30 cars in the Clear Death Arena in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Psycho used a jet-powered monster car and received some national TV coverage.
July 23, 2038: Psycho unsuccessfully tries to do a backflip with a monster truck in the Aksarben Arena. He survives uninjured, but this time receives only local TV coverage.
July 30, 2038: Psycho survives a crash at 50 mph into a wall at the Hammer Downs Arena in a stock subcompact. He receives national TV coverage. Also on this date the first play testing session of Car-Toons (Car Wars/Toon merger) ideas.
Aug. 5, 2038: At Omacon 8 Car-Toons makes its first appearance at a convention and enjoys success. It was popular and sessions were quickly filled. Pure insanity reined as character and cars were destroyed and then reformed three turns later. After the event people asked if it would be played next year.
Fall 2037: Robojed becomes the first cyborg autoduellist to compete in an arena at the Ozark Off-Road Arena. Steelfist becomes a cyborg in the winter of 2037.
Sept. 3, 2038: The first every Cyborg Night was held in the Armadillo Arena. Robojed, Steelfist, Duc, and Terror competed in a division 30 duel. Steelfist got second place, Terror third, and Robojed fourth in the final standings. The Terror’s remains were shipped to a local university cryogenics department for research. The Terror died when he fell on an ice slick and was heated by Duc’s flamethrower at point-blank range. Duc came in first and won the event. Duc, by the way, was the only full human duelist.
Sept. 17, 2038: Jurgie Meister Cup Series began at the Carter Lake Arena. This marked several firsts. The club championship used a point system, prizes for all contestants, and all members could compete regardless of AADA membership. The first round ended in a fist fight between Dooley and Buba Logan. They were tied for first place. Buba won and had first place as of the first round.
“The One Minute Arena”
The following is an account of the longest arena to date for NOVA. It happened at Omacon 6 in the Open Car Wars Tournament.
With the elimination round arenas complete six duelists entered the Aksarben Arena. They were: Tim Jacques, Don Patton, Troy Bennett, Don Jacques, Bob Calhoun, and Blair Briesen. After entering the floor Patton and Don Jacques (DJ) went head to head with Patton receiving the brunt of the damage before both cars passed each other. Meanwhile Blair and Tim maneuvered around the arena’s permanent obstacles to shoot at each other when Patton arrived. Seeing Patton coming around an obstacle, Tim and Blair silently teamed up and shot Patton’s tires out. After a few turns of fire at his car Patton exited the arena as fast as he could on foot.
By this time Troy, hearing that his friend was in trouble, raced towards the other end of the arena. Bob emerged out of a tunnel behind Troy and zeroed in on a rear tire with three laser-guided RLs. Bob’s first shots were clean misses, and they did some arena remodeling. The second rounds destroyed Troy’s right rear tire, causing him to roll and burn right into an obstacle. Troy frantically unbuckled himself, but just as he stepped out of his car it exploded.
Bob turned his attention to DJ as both of them rounded the central TV tower. They traded shots, and DJ lost his front right tire and rolled wheels up next to the TV tower. Tim and Blair had by this time slowly made their way to the scene of the action. Blair chased Bob around a few obstacles, hitting Bob’s rear armor. Bob hit his brakes to let Blair fly by. As Blair did so Bob fired, destroying most of Blair’s right side armor. Blair continued to pass Bob and activated his HDFOJ. Bob went over the stuff and suffered underbody damage and his front tires caught fire. Three laser guided RLs struck back at Blair’s rear armor. The HDFOJ was on fire, and as Blair tried to escape his car exploded into apocalyptic fury.
Tim traveled on one of the overpasses to enter the fight. By this time DJ’s driver exited his car to place a grenade between his car and the TV tower. When the grenade went off the car turned back onto one side. Two more grenades were used before the car ended back on it’s tires. Bob, unable to move now because the front tires were burned away, watched an ensuring battle. Tim fired his front VMGs while DJ’s gunner fired back with linked RRs. DJs driver was still outside and opened up with his SMG loaded with AV ammo. DJ’s car lost its RRs, power plant, and the gunner. Tim was unable to hit the driver, but he lost his front armor and VMGs. DJ’s driver was able to get back in the car in time when Tim activated his ejection seat. After the hang glider popped out Bob and DJ scored direct hits against it. Tim did a belly flop on the roof of his car, barely surviving. Bob was awarded first place with DJ second. Tim received third place and is now making progress at the UNNO Medical Center’s mental ward. The whole arena battle was the longest on record to that date for any New Omaha arena. It lasted exactly one minute.
The BLUD Bath
NOVA and BLUD have been neutral towards each other for some time. That has changed three years ago with the appearance of a BLUD force during an off-road patrol. The few BLUD cars were destroyed or heavily damaged. That incident forever changed our relations with BLUD, and are now counted as our enemy.
Their next appearance was a challenge issued by a bomb-a-gram to NOVA’s doorstep. We accepted their challenge and met them in the Boneyards of west New Omaha. Our cars were all division 20, while BLUD’s were all clearly unlimited stock and custom cars. Recoilless Ranger made his first kills in NOVA by taking out three BLUD cars. The battle quickly turned in NOVA’s favor as the BLUD cars were turned to wrecks. The BLUD Radium Dragon grasshopper exploded on take-off as vulcan rounds tore up the bombs (see The Showroom stats). After that BLUD faded into the background for the next two years.
Last fall NOVA entered four teams in a cross country race from Hannibal, Missouri to Wray, Colorado (for a cross country adventure being play tested). NOVA's fourth team composed of Richard Knight, Ambush, Doctor Raker, Delmar Jones, Dooley and Boris Clamber took out the BLUD/National Guard base near Salina, Kansas with a force of borrowed cars. That ended BLUD's two years of silence.
After that episode we were ambushed at a rest stop near Nebraska City. BLUD attacked as we neared the rest stop with their vehicles lined up and waiting. Both sides took heavy damage with losses mainly in the BLUD ranks. To add to the confusion three Gambler IIs flew over and dropped six bombs, falling on friend and foe alike. Two bombs hit the main rest stop buildings along with shrapnel damage. The tide turned as Don "Terror" Viner crashed one of his team's cars into a BLUD vehicle, destroying both. With NOVA clearly winning now the BLUD vehicles that could still move drove off.
About a month later we received word that a BLUD base was located in the western Kansas/eastern Colorado area. Off we went on a BLUD hunt. First we went to Kansas City in our convoy of three minibuses, a luxury, and a helicopter. Along the way we met up to a BLUD that was quickly rendered harmless. However, no information came from our prisoner. Leaving KC the Grim Reaper cycle gang introduced themselves. After a short battle the cyclists meet the real Grim Reaper. We gathered eight leather jackets as souvenirs, some of which were sold later. Furthermore, A tank-gun armed Hind found us and failed to hit. A lucky concussion grenade launched by Dippy went through the Hind's open bomb bay and exploded. The copter's gunner went insane and jumped out screaming. Harry Kellman and the others managed to fix the damaged Hind into flyable condition.
At the next city we stopped to repair our damages and awaited for other NOVA members to join us. Ion Storm arrived to join Dippy in the Bloodstorm minibus, while Harry took over the Hind for air support. Mike "Bullseye" Hirtes and Chris "Fuzzy Dice" Horn arrived in a small helicopter and the Thunderstorm minibus, respectively. With that NOVA left and located the BLUD base in Last Chance, Colorado. NOVA repainted its vehicles in BLUD colors and prepared for the slaughter. Our disguises got us passed BLUD's outer defenses. We observed another Hind-T and an Apache Warlord warming up on rooftop helipads. We fired immediately, startling the BLUDs, and the BLUD copters took several hits. Mike stopped the BLUD Hind, but not before taking some minor damage to himself. Meanwhile, Don Jacques and the other NOVA members took on the BLUD ground forces. A slow BLUD trike was destroyed by the gallant Donny Viner while he was traveling over 100 mph and under heavy enemy fire. We're still figuring out how Donny got through it. The BLUD leader transformed his stretched luxury into an airplane (decidedly familiar isn't it?) and took off with little damage. We knew we will meet him again. After the battle we salvaged our winnings, including two helicopters and went home. The Bloodstorm and several of the other vehicles that went on the adventure were upgraded with the captured electronics and other systems. The BLUD base was erased off the face of the earth after all information we could find was gathered.
BLUD didn't take their losses well as they soon showed us in an attack on New Omaha. Two helicopters, a Hind and an Apache Warlord, six cars and a lone cycle rapidly roared in from the west. NOVA members Dippy, Ion Storm, and Terror met the challenge in their two cars and quickly accelerated. Ion Storm shot down the Apache with a turreted VMG shot at the rotors. The Apache smashed into several buildings before coming to a stop. Terror maneuvered to engage the Hind just in time to help Ion Storm to do the same thing. Dippy and Ion Storm drove towards the slow moving BLUD vehicles at 120 mph and traded shots with a Grandslam. It missed but Ion hit. Dippy displayed superb drivership by moving in between the BLUDs and took out the lone cycle. Terror brought up the rear and was attacked by a second Grandslam. Terror's can-am was totaled and he was wounded. That was double for the Grandslam as it's carcass coasted to a top. The BLUDs were demoralized at the turn of events and were hastily chased out of town.
BLUD was quiet for the next few months will all the ARF activity in the state. The civil war was started by the ARFs after the state elections, so everyone was busy surviving. As NOVA closed in on the ARF's last bastion in the state at the town of Surprise we received a radio call from BLUD. They wanted a six month truce between our two groups in return for a combined battle against ARF. The BLUD force played a major part in the battle and the truce was signed shortly thereafter.
We expect the BLUDs to come back very strong in January next year when the truce expires. However, we are enjoying this relative quiet while it lasts. Next issue I turn the "On The Road" section over to Don Jacques for his report on the Lightning Bug and his brand of insanity.
The following vehicles never got into The Midwest Encounter Guide, even though they were slated to be included. Some information on the BLUD cars come from NOVA archives.
M.A.D. (not the obvious anagram): Luxury, x-hvy. chassis, hvy. suspension, 350ci gas engine with a 15 gallon duelling gas tank, 4 PR tires, driver, turreted laser, 2 RLs linked front. SD, SS, PS linked rear. Hi-res computer. LR/FP armor: F50, L50, R50, B50, T50, U12 with 4 10-point wheelguards and wheelchains. Accel. 15, top speed 145, HC 2; 6,592 lbs., $57,805.
Apache Warlord: Standard Helicopter, super copter power plant, pilot, gunner, VMG front, TwL in universal turret, IRTL front, RL rear, RL w/incendiary loads front, 2 EWPs each with an incendiary-loaded RL and two anti-power plant rockets, LGL from IRTL to front RL and EWP rockets, 2 sets of maneuvering foils, 2 cyberlinks (pilot/front IRTL, gunner/TwL), 2 hi-res computers, ATAD linked to rear RL, LD radio, radar, extra driver controls, radar detector and jammer, stealth system, sound enhancement system. FP/RP armor: F130, L120, R120, B120, T120, U128. 5 points of rotor armor each for main and stabilizing rotors. Accel. 5, top speed 150, HC 2; 19,992 lbs., $259,560.
Shaman Version -- replace sound enhancement system with sound system and change armor to LRFP. Armor: F115, L110, R110, B112, T110, U114. 19,990 lbs., $216,550.
Chief Version -- as Shaman except change armor to metal/FP plastic: F18/42, L18/40, R18/40, B18/40, T10/40, U18/40. 19,998 lbs., $188,020.
Enemy Vehicles:
BLUD Terminator: Luxury, x-hvy. chassis, hvy. suspension, super power plant w/PC & SC, 4 solid tires, driver, gunner, GG in universal turret, laser front, FOJ rear, 2 bumper triggers, radar, no-paint/tinted windows, LD radio, cyberlink for driver to laser, improved fire extinguisher, hi-res computer for gunner. FPRP armor: F30, L29, R29, B29, T30, U15. Accel. 5, top speed 112.5, HC 3; 6,600 lbs., $70,435.
OR Version -- change suspension and tires to OR. Remove two points of armor. $73,635.
Radium Dragon: Luxury Grasshopper, x-hvy. chassis, hvy. suspension, small copter power plant, 4 HD tires, driver, x-ray laser front, 2 B100s linked under, LD radio, hi-res computer, radar, radar detector and jammer. FPRP armor: F20, L20, R20, B20, T8, U20. Accel. 5, top speed 197.5 ground/162.5 airborne, HC 3/2 airborne; 6,600 lbs., $73,130.
Joseph "Joe Rat" Ratner, by Norman "Stormin" McMullen
Joseph Ratner, known to friends and fans alike as "Joe Rat", is a multi-talented duelist. He's been NOVA's president since its foundation in 2034. Currently Joseph is busy with his taxi business, Ratner Taxi, and at the Clear Death Arena which he is part owner.
Joe was born in Omaha on December 17, 2008. As a child he joined a street gang a few years before the Food Riots hit Omaha. He earned the nickname "The Rat" during this time. During the Food Riots he watched as his family got killed, and in fright he went into the sewer system. Over the next ten years he made the city's drainage system his home, evading gangs and other residents alike. He stole from anyone he could and hid away in the shadows of the night for cover. Over those years he found and read books. In 2026 he was caught while trying to steal some food. Joe spent a year in jail; his original sentence of 3 months was extended when he escaped several times. A social worker finally helped Joe to adjust to the "new" times in New Omaha.
Cars had always interested Joe, and for the first few months out of jail he learned how to drive. He quickly got a job at Red Taxi Service as a driver. While there he learned some mechanic skills. One day he joined in a gang battle, blazing away with a machine gun. He got two unconfirmed kills and came out with wounds and a wrecked taxi. The New Omaha Autoduelling Association asked him to join and he did.
Over the next few years Joe participated in several duels to keep gangs out of New Omaha. He became friends with Doc and Captain Commando and other duelling knowns. In 2032 he NOADA disbanded due to a lack of members. Joe went back to taxi driving.
In 2032 he entered his first arena duel at Deathstorm Arena. He lost terribly. Over the coming years he entered in more than 15 arena duels and sustained a multitude of wounds and injuries that kept the hospitals busy. His nickname changed to "Joe Rat" because of his sneaky tactics in his duels.
2033 was the year Joe formed the New Omaha Metropolitan Autoduellists (NOMAD) and received an AADA charter. However, by the time he met the requirements another group had applied under the same acronym and Joe's group name was rejected. As a result, Joe chosed the name New Omaha Vehicular Association and submitted it. It was approved in April of 2034. That same year using his arena winnings and a bank loan he purchased the Red Taxi Service and renamed it the Ratner Taxi Company.
In 2036 Joe was approached by Doc to be a co-owner in the Clear Death Arena. After the opening Joe had several of his car designs tested in front of several automotive representatives. Radius Motors purchased them and Joe has continued to design vehicles on a freelance basis. In that same year Joe was a gunner in the prototype Sledge minibus that later on helped stop the ARFs. Joe has never used bodyguards for protection while on the streets, and still prefers to drive himself around town. Joe says "If those punks are dumb, then I'll be their teacher". So far he hasn't used a clone, and the exact number of his extra-arena kills is not known.
Joe's advice to the rookies is to get the most accurate weapons you can. "It's best to hit and do no damage than to miss altogether". VMGs, MGs, GGs, and lasers are good picks in Joe's book. The introduction of metal armor has changed Joe's shooting habits. "Metal armor is only good in large amounts or composite combinations. Hazards still count and wheels or turrets become prize targets. No design is foolproof."
Joe is an excellent street duelist and an above average arena combatant also (not counting his bad luck). On the street he feels at home and is the most dangerous. Joseph "Joe Rat" Ratner skills are as follows: Driver+4, Gunner+4, Handgunner+2, Cyclist, Martial Arts, and Mechanic. His duelling color is blood red and his favorite car is the original Forge (see The Midwest Encounter Guide). Joe is a confirmed double ace with several unconfirmed kills.
"Where's the Radar?" by Norman McMullen
The latest changes in the RGMs makes me ask "where's the radar". Do the single missiles guide themselves? Hardly, they guide themselves for only one turn (second) and they use a radar beam to hit the target. Yet in the 2038 Uncle Alberts Catalog it doesn't state any of this in the description. So you now have to spend an extra $2,500 to guide your missiles. The old system had it built in, didn't it? It would be logical that it did.
So now what do we have so far? Unguided missiles and extra costs? I personally like the old RGM system. I even went as far as to design over ten different missiles for it. Extra magazines make sense with the old RGM launcher. What was wrong with it? It was too limited for the unimaginative ones. You couldn't put the missiles on REWPs or rocket platforms or EWPs. Let's change the RGM, some people thought, so it can be better. Wrong. Those people are flawed and crippled by a lack of insight.
Granted I would like them both ways. So would you readers out there. We can have both, but the compromise doesn't come easy. First, the old RGM launcher must be reinstated. Second, the new RG missiles costs must be modified. Third, for single missiles without the launcher a radar must be purchased and a tuning cost (like a LGL) paid.
The RGM System
RGM Launcher (RGML) - to-hit 7, cost $5,000, 200 lbs., 2 spaces, 2 shots, and 2 DP.
RGM Missile - CPS $1,000, WPS 100 lbs, and 3D6 damage. Single missiles without a launcher must have a radar unit to guide them and must have a $500 tuning cost applied. A single missile takes up one space when used on a EWP, REWP, and rocket platform.
Other missiles capable of being launched from the RGML are SAMs, AAMs, ARMs, stealth, heat seeker, and anti- personnel. This list is by no means complete. The usefulness of this system is extensive. Imagine a Grandslam with the maximum possible single RGMs and he'll hit you before you know it.
Any comments, conterviews, or questions on any editorial is welcomed and may be printed in this section. I know your out there.
Well, another issue nears the garage with no comments yet on how were doing. If you like it or not tell us. How can we improve the Nightmessenger? We are always on the lookout for submissions, weapons, cars, editorials, and articles. Attached to this newsletter is an ordering form for anyone interested in NOVA stuff (ed. note - just send an e-mail care of Norman McMullen instead). NOVA is presently in it's club championship which will be covered in detail next issue along with our regular features.
Drive and fly offensively!
Norman McMullen, President
Don Jacques, Vice-President and Secretary
Re-editing of Nightmessenger Vol. 2, No 3 completed on 04/12/97 by Donald Jacques.
Editors: Donald Jacques & Norman McMullen.
NOVA Works: Blazer by Rich Richardson, Air-to-Air Missile by Norman McMullen, Metal Body Armor by Tim Jacques, and Hypersound Sound System and Hypersound Helmet by Don Viner.
The Showroom: M.A.D. -- Dax Sadler
Apache Warlord -- Jay Chladek
BLUD Terminator and Radium Dragon -- NOVA Archives
Articles: all written by Norman McMullen.
Originally printed as a SpeedScript 3.2 document on a Commodore 64 with an Epyx extender cartridge. The issue was reentered as a WordPerfect 6.1 for Windows document, turned into a HTML document by KEYview 5.0, and edited again in Netscape Navigator Gold 3.0.